Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece Chapter 918: Vespa's Worries

"Father, the hot water is ready. You can bathe first while I have the servants prepare dinner," Andrea said.

The establishment of the Thurii Great Hot Spring Bathhouse had transformed the living habits of the Theonians. Spurred by strong recommendations from doctors at the Thurii hospital, the people had come to view bathing as a healthy way to relieve fatigue, ward off illness, and benefit both body and mind. This was especially true for the elderly; most senators practiced the regimen diligently.

However, the great bathhouse on the banks of the Tiro river was quite a distance from Thurii City, making a daily round trip inconvenient. Building a proper bathhouse in one's own mansion soon became a pursuit for the kingdom's prominent ministers and wealthy citizens. King Davos, ever favored by Hades, proposed an effective solution. After a period of experimentation, craftsmen successfully built a new type of domestic bathhouse modeled after the great hot springs, quickly sparking a trend the kingdom's people rushed to imitate.

Utilizing the principle of cold and hot convection, this type of bathhouse could rapidly heat a full pool of water. Furthermore, the hot air generated during the heating process was repurposed to warm the bathroom floor. Convenient and comfortable, the design swiftly spread throughout the kingdom.

Ever since one of these bathhouses was built in his home, Vespa had fallen in love with it, making a nightly soak an essential habit before bed.

Vespa nodded at his daughter-in-law's words. He glanced toward the bathhouse beside the main building and was about to head in that direction when he suddenly felt something was missing. "Has Lycres come home from school?" he asked.

"School let out early today, but he went to play with Eunice and Apox. Queen Christoya kept him for dinner, so he'll be back a little later."

"That boy has been close to the royal family since he was little! It seems we won't have to worry much about him when he grows up..." Vespa sighed in gratification. He suddenly turned his head. "I... want to resign from my position as Rotating Chairman of the Senate... What do you think?"

Andrea paused, looking at her father-in-law in surprise. "Why the sudden thought, Father?" she asked softly.

Having lived with Vespa for over a decade, Andrea naturally guessed the answer simply by following his train of thought. However, she feigned ignorance and shook her head.

"It was for Bagulas!" Vespa said emphatically. He looked at Andrea and spoke with earnest gravity. "Bagulas has been serving away from home for years. He spends far too little time with us. It's time for him to return to Thurii and properly reunite with our family! But given his current status in the kingdom, no position suits him other than Rotating Chairman of the Senate. Becoming the Rotating Chairman is no easy feat, however. Only one senator of Lucanian origin can hold that seat. If I step down early, another senator will likely take it, and Bagulas will lose his chance!"

As Vespa spoke, he thought of Hermon. He hesitated before asking his daughter-in-law, "You are so close to Queen Christoya... could you... could you ask her to mention it to His Majesty when she has the chance? That way, when I resign as Rotating Chairman, Bagulas can take over. Then I can finally rest easy..."

Andrea felt conflicted upon hearing this. Under Vespa's expectant gaze, she tactfully replied, "Father, as far as I know, His Majesty has strictly forbidden his family members from interfering in political affairs. Queen Christoya never brings up such matters in front of him..."

Seeing a look of disappointment cross Vespa's face, she quickly added, "But I will do my best to ask the Queen for this favor."

"That's right. When Bagulas returns, you two can finally spend proper time together as husband and wife. I'm still waiting for another grandson," Vespa said, a smile breaking across his face.

...

While the Spartan army fought bitterly in Central Greece, King Agesilaus of Sparta spent his days relaxing in the rear.

One day, his good friend Xenophon visited his mansion and received a warm welcome.

"Xenophon, it has been far too long since you last came to see me! I thought you considered me too old and useless now!" Agesilaus grasped his arm excitedly, patting him hard on the shoulder with his other hand.

"I've been busy lately writing a historical account of the Greek mercenaries' expedition to Persia. I just finished it yesterday and hurried over to visit you," Xenophon explained.

"The mercenary expedition to Persia? You mean your employment under Cyrus the Younger twenty years ago, helping him fight Artaxerxes? I wonder if I might have the opportunity to read it?" Agesilaus asked with a smile.

"King Agesilaus, you campaigned in Asia Minor for many years and have a deep understanding of the Persian military. I actually wanted to ask you to read it and help point out any errors or omissions," Xenophon said earnestly, pulling a bound volume of Papyrus from his robes.

"Asking us Spartan Warriors to teach someone how to lead troops in battle is fine, but asking us to tell you how to write? Now that's a joke!" Agesilaus teased. Laughing heartily, he took the book and flipped through a few pages. He was gradually drawn in by the text and began to read intently.

Seeing this, Xenophon gained a bit more confidence in the book he had written. He sat quietly to the side and waited.

Nearly half an hour passed before Agesilaus looked up. He rubbed his sore eyes and looked at Xenophon, offering a string of praises. "This is excellently written! Truly brilliant! If you weren't sitting right here, I would want to read the whole thing in one sitting."

"Then I suppose I can leave," Xenophon said, standing up with feigned seriousness.

The two men shared a hearty laugh.

"You spoke of Cyrus the Younger before and praised him highly. But in my opinion, he was quite immature—at least militarily. Otherwise, he wouldn't have recklessly charged out of his formation to his death while holding the advantage, putting his entire army in peril." Agesilaus patted the book on the table as he shared his thoughts.

Xenophon nodded silently.

"I skimmed through it and noticed that your descriptions of Davos are far more extensive than those of anyone else. There are also quite a few divine omens and prophecies surrounding him..." Agesilaus said slowly, tracing his hand over the volume.

"That is absolutely true!" Xenophon said candidly. "The reality is that Davos played a vital role in enabling the mercenaries to break through the Persian army's pursuit and eventually return to Greece. Not even Cheirisophus contributed as much as he did; that is an unavoidable fact. But as for me, I firmly believe that Davos was truly favored by Hades. Otherwise, it's difficult to fathom how an obscure recruit from a rural village in Thessaly—who had never received any education and had scarcely fought in a war—could suddenly transform into a brilliant, tactically flexible, and composed general just when our mercenaries were driven into a corner. That must have been the gods watching over us. It was our great fortune!"

"Yes, he was once a stroke of fortune for the mercenaries, but now he has become Sparta's most agonizing headache!" Agesilaus sighed.

Xenophon didn't speak. His mind suddenly drifted back to the first time he had met Davos. The seemingly ordinary young man had spoken endlessly about the flaws in the Athenian and Spartan systems of government, genuinely stunning him. He still remembered it vividly: when he couldn't help but ask, 'Where is the best system of government in the world today?' the young man had simply smiled without answering. Was the Kingdom of Daunia of today the answer he had been waiting to give?

"I've heard some rumors recently," Xenophon cautioned tactfully. "The refugees who fled across the Adriatic Sea to the Peloponnese over a decade ago are gathering an army. They're preparing to cross the sea and reclaim the territories they lost, and word has it they have Sparta's backing. Even though Daionia is currently fighting a war, I don't believe this is a very wise move for Sparta."

"I raised objections in the Council of Elders as well, but they refused to listen... Alas, you know my current situation," Agesilaus said helplessly, looking somewhat downcast.

Xenophon knew exactly what he meant.

A few months prior, Agesilaus had defended Sphedelias—the Spartan garrison commander at Thespiae who had plotted an attack on Port Piraeus in Athens, only to fail. His defense shielded Sphedelias from any punishment. This ultimately drove the furious Athenians to form an alliance with Thebes and declare war on Sparta, turning the tide against the Spartan allied forces in Central Greece. The Spartan citizens came to regret it. They began blaming Agesilaus, believing that his favoritism had allowed the foolish Sphedelias to walk free, thereby bringing about today's disastrous situation.

Although Spartan citizens did not hold as much sway over their government as those in other democratic city-states, their dissatisfaction still swayed the Council of Elders and the Ephors. The Ephors questioned Agesilaus and Sphedelias multiple times, attempting to investigate whether any bribery had occurred between them. Meanwhile, the Council of Elders handed down a decision. They proclaimed that King Agesilaus of Sparta had served in the military for forty years. While the citizens of his generation had long since retired from the battlefield, he continued fighting for Sparta. This was deeply admirable and set an example for all citizens. However, since his health was already poor and he was growing older by the day, the Council of Elders had decided—for the sake of his well-being—that the esteemed Agesilaus would no longer be tasked with leading armies or rushing about on campaigns...

The Council of Elders kept claiming it was for Agesilaus's own good. But as the Spartan political system had evolved, its kings retained very little actual power. Serving as the Spartan commander and leading troops into battle was their greatest authority and their primary means of earning prestige. By losing that, Agesilaus was effectively being shelved.